I’ve been trying to come to grips with my apathy lately. I found “trueblue illinois” over at dKos who said some things I really wish I had said, related to the cognitive dissonance it is to be an American these days. Here it is:
I’ve heard modern conservatism described as a “philosophy” of “Got mine. Get yours.” It seems to be a mindset of radical self-interest. What is strange to me is how many people have jumped on that bandwagon. Or is that just how the election results were portrayed?
When Americans look into the mirror, they like to see the NYC firefighters of 9/11; the liberators of post WW II Europe; a generous people who open their wallets and hearts to people in need. I know that most of us are that, deep down.
But under the GOP, our image is increasingly that of an unapologetic Scrooge. There’s a cravenness, a selfishness, an aggressiveness that just does not jibe with the way most people in this nation see themselves. Of all the people I know personally, of any political stripe, not one person would fit that definition. And yet that is what we as a nation are projecting.
It seems like it will take some huge shock, some giant international snub, for people to wake up and realize that the image in the mirror does not reflect who they are. One would have thought that 9/11 would have served that purpose. It could have. But Bush & Co. played on our fears and encouraged the worst aspects of our natures to come out. They’ve leveraged that to radically change the nature of our laws and our society into something most of us with any perspective would not recognize as “American.”
At some point, the cognitive dissonance will have to kick in. When the scales fall from our eyes, we as a nation are in for the sort of anguished soul-searching that gripped Germany after WW II.
I have, in fact, met a few American who really are as aggressively selfish as the commenter describes above. And I’m sure many of the BushCo folks are that way as well. But overall she’s got a point.
I worry what it will take for the rest of the country to wake up. How bad does it have to get?
In a way, I think I have kicked into my own selfishness mode. There are so many outrages going on in our country that I could literally spend all day every day doing nothing but trying to stay on top of all the bad things that are going on, much less trying to react to all of them. I can’t do it. I can’t be that person, constantly outraged, constantly active in the struggle. There’s just so much to fight against I can’t even decide where to start anymore.
And yes, I know, this is one of the ways “they” can win. We don’t all have to be thrown into jail or leave the country. We just need to give up and stop caring.
15, or even 10 years ago, I might have done things differently. But I’m older, and sadder, and just plain tired. If America is screwed, at least I can have time with the people (and pets) most important to me as we all go down the tubes together. It’s less aggressively selfish, but still a selfish decision I’ve made. So maybe trueblue illinois is more right than she knows.